


Gracie

by TWDObsessive



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Bad Flirting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotions, M/M, Mini-Fic, The beginning of something more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-06
Updated: 2017-11-06
Packaged: 2019-01-30 05:59:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12647535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TWDObsessive/pseuds/TWDObsessive
Summary: Rick brings Daryl in to see Gracie after Morales is killed.  They talk about the meaning of the war, the way of the world and the need to feel things.





	Gracie

**Author's Note:**

> It's 1 a.m. I wrote this in like 30 minutes in the middle of the night because Rick, Daryl, Morales and Gracie made me think about things in tonight's episode and I had to write them down.
> 
> Unbeta'd (I'll re-read in the morning to make sure it makes sense and isn't utter garbled garbage!)

“I knew who he was. Didn’t matter. Not one little bit,” Daryl said as he pulled out his bolt.

Rick was speechless as he watched, replaying Morales’ words in his mind.

“Let’s go,” Daryl said.

“Wait. There’s someone else still alive here. Sleeping,” Rick said, his eyes back down on Morales’ body.

“Well, where are they? Let’s send ‘em to hell and get on with it.”

Rick pointed with his head towards the room off the hallway and Daryl walked in ahead of him.

“What the fuck?!” Daryl muttered. “Are you kidding me?”

“We have to fight them, Daryl. I know it, I do. But we aren’t all that different.” He pointed over to Morales’ body in the hall. “Morales used to be _one of us_. These people...they bleed the same as we do. Have babies same as we do.”

Daryl kept the same no-nonsense expression on his face as he listened. 

“It’s not supposed to be easy or fun to kill them, Daryl. I shot this little girl’s father. Killed him. He was just trying to keep me from this room, not because of guns but because his baby daughter was in here.” Rick’s eyes were watering as he spoke.

Both men walked closer to the crib as Gracie awoke with a soft little whine. 

“Well, you know my policy, Rick. Everyone’s gotta die, but I’m not a total animal. We’ll bring her home, raise her up. We done good with Judith, ain’t we?”

“We have,” Rick nodded. 

“But you know we have to keep on killing, right?” Daryl asked cautiously.

Rick sighed and ran a hand through his damp curls. “Seeing this? Seeing ghosts from our past here as Saviors? Someone who had two kids of his own? A wife? Seeing this little girl being taken care of? I know we have to fight this war, I know we have to kill, I know it. But I don’t have to like it. And I wish you didn’t either,” Rick said, his expression sad and sympathetic.

Daryl wouldn’t meet Rick’s eyes. He held out a pinky for Gracie to grab onto. “Are you one of the bad guys, lil’ girl? Wanna leave the dark side and come home with us?”

They were quiet as Gracie started sucking on Daryl’s finger. “I know what you’re gettin’ at Rick. I don’t _like_ it. Just doing what needs done.” As Gracie started to pout, Daryl leaned down and picked her up. “We’ll have to see if they have baby food anywhere in here.”

As he wiped at his still watering eyes, Rick smiled at Daryl. 

“What?” Daryl asked as he patted Gracie’s little bottom.

“I’m just glad to see you like...like you used to be. Even for just this little moment.”

“How’d I used to be?”

“You used to feel. Everything. And intensely. Sometime after you came back from the Sanctuary you lost that. I don’t want you to forget that we’re fighting for hope and peace. Not just revenge. I don’t want you to be so...empty.”

Daryl put Gracie back in the crib and handed her a stuffed animal to play with. Then he pulled Rick close so they touched foreheads, a way they’ve always communicated sincerity to one another. 

“I’m still here, Rick. I won’t forget to hope, I promise. Don’t want to disappoint you, it’s just sometimes it’s hard to feel anything when we gotta do what we’re doing.”

“I want you to feel again after this war,” Rick said.

“Feel what?”

“Hope, happiness, peace...love, anything.”

Rick pulled back and kissed Daryl at the corner of one of his eyes. “Let’s get our new baby home and squared away.”

“Ours?” Daryl laughed.

“Yeah,” Rick answered with a smile. “Haven’t they all been ours? Carl, Judith, now Gracie.”

Daryl nodded. “Yeah, I guess so. I’m glad we had this talk. We never have time just to talk anymore. Makes me sad.”

“We’ll have a lot more time to talk once this war is over,” Rick said. “We’ll be talking day and night for weeks on end.”

Daryl grinned flirtatiously as Rick picked Gracie back-up from the crib. 

“Good, because I’ve always liked talking to you.” And he did. He liked everything with Rick and he’d always hoped for more. Maybe he’d try to have some hope after all. An end to this war. And more than just a talk with Rick.

“I’ve always liked talking to you too,” Rick said. “And I’m always gonna be here for you when you’re finally ready to have that specific talk you’re thinking about.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come on War! Be OVER! These boys need some time!


End file.
